0 VOC Paints for a Greener Living Environment

Updated on February 14, 2013

Indoor Air Pollution and VOCs

Painting a home is hard on the environment. Finding eco-friendly pigments can be time consuming and sometimes, downright impossible. Here are two brands of paint that you may not know about, and that can help you to make your home more earth friendly while you are making it your dream house.

What are VOCs?

VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds that are released into the environment everyday. Greenhouse gasses are made up of VOCs but beyond that nearly every item in our home releases these toxins into the air we breath.

Formaldehydes are released by carpeting, cabinetry, and paint, among other things. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the air inside our homes is about five percent more polluted than the air outside.

EarthBorn Clay Paint is a European paint with no VOCs, and comes in many colors.

EarthBorn Claypaint, Europe

Earthborn Claypaint is a paint made from clay.

The paint is high quality and has a matte texture. This paint covers very well because of the high proportion of solids in the paint mixture.

Clay is a natural substance that absorbs and cleanses. The paint made from clay allows the surface to breathe and handles variations in humidity very well. In fact, because of the natural clay in the mixture, the paint deters mildew and mold formation.

It has low odor, and is VOC free. The paint handles easily and needs no special training to apply. Because of the no drip consistency the paint is easier to deal with than traditional paint. The clay particles in it it help to cover hairline cracks and other imperfections in your walls. It also lends itself well to faux painting techniques like rag rolling, and sponging.

The ingredients list is simple, and easy to understand. It has natural ingredients like clay, water, chalks, vinegar, and pigment.

The paint is only available in Europe, however, and is not available in the United States.

It carries the EU Ecolabel.

Using 0 VOC Paints

Freshaire Paint is an American paint with 0 VOCs available only at Home Depot

FreshAire Paints, United States

If you happen to be in the United States there is another another option.

In April of 2008 FreshAire Paints will launch a new line of paints with 0 VOCs. This stuff is so green that even the labels are made with seventy-five percent recycled materials and printed with soy based inks. The paint chips and brochures are also post consumer recycled materials. And the cans are one hundred percent recycled materials. The company has an environmentally friendly focus in everything they do.

Most 0 VOC paints have no VOCs until the pigment is added. The very nature of the pigments means that they carry a small amount of toxicity. Once it is added back into these natural paint bases there are VOCs in varying amounts in the paint, even though it is advertised as 0 VOC. Fresheaire paints have no VOCs in the paint base or in the colorant so that the paint you roll on the wall is healthy for you, your family, and the world around you.

This paint comes in sixty-five different colors, based on air, water, earth, and botanicals. Each color comes in flat, eggshell and semigloss sheens, and is completely washable. It is long lasting and durable, and comes with a lifetime warranty on performance and appearance.

Home Depot will be the only store that carries the paint.

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Comments 3 comments

KUVINN MALLAR ARMUGAM 5 years ago

Impressive!!

Kyla 7 years ago

Check out Amazon Select recycled latex paint as well for an environmentally-friendly alternative to virgin paints. It is available in Minnesota and California at their warehouses, and is also available in participating Ace Hardware stores in the Twin Cities.